The Authority of Scripture

Evelyn Wells

12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, [a] to refresh your memory, 14 since I know that my death[b] will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷ For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a ^[a]declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is ^[b]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— ¹⁸ and we ourselves heard this ^[c]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. ²⁰ But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture ^[d]becomes a matter of ^[e]someone’s own interpretation, ²¹ for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

~II Peter 1:12-21 NRSV

“Peter cited as evidence for the authority of Scripture both the message of the Bible itself, and the method of its communication to us.” I read this statement recently, but the source was, and still is, unknown to me, as the writer’s name was not disclosed.

There once existed a group of South American Christians who were known as “the people of the dirty Bibles.” As they came in from the fields each day, the first thing they did was to reach for their Bibles, even before they washed their hands. Their Bibles had become smudged and soiled with use, but they became a badge of honor for these people who valued and loved the Word of God before anything else on earth.

Food for Thought:

 Do I love the Word of God as much as these obscure people did? There are still places on earth where Bibles are hard to obtain. There are still languages into which little or none of the Bible has been translated. There are people who are eager to have an opportunity to read this Book that many of us take for granted.

 The Apostle Peter was approaching his death when he wrote this letter to the church. According to Verse 15 he wanted to make sure they held fast to the truth, which he had faithfully taught.

His letter was written almost as if Peter was revealing his last will and testament. This was his legacy, this truth he was determined to leave with them, so they would, hopefully, continue to remember after he was gone.

As evidence to Peter’s claim, he pointed to two witnesses: Verse 19 gives us the prophetic message, in which the prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah, and then the confirmation of Christ’s Sonship by the Father Himself on the sacred mountain told of in Verses 16 and 18.

The “thus saith the Lord” of the prophets was verified in His presence, so Peter felt confident in asserting these truths. The word of the prophets was completely reliable by Peter’s experience.

The Bible, having withstood many attempts by its enemies to discredit it, continues to be subjected to subtle efforts to dismiss or devalue it. The Word of God stands as our authoritative statement of God’s truth. We have the Apostle Peter’s word on the truth of the gospel.

The Bible is God’s Word, but didn’t descend to us on a cloud. God chose another way to communicate truth to us: Prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, according to Verse 21.

The word “inspired” is overworked. We use it to describe people and events and actions. However, the word, if used in Scriptural context, means much more than a work of human genius. The term applies to the work of God by which He prompted human authors to record His revealed truth as he determined its content and ensured its accuracy.

A question asked in an Old Testament course exam was, “Who is the author of the Pentateuch?” The correct answer would have been “Moses,” because he wrote the first five books of the Bible. But the student answered “God.” He got it right! God is the ultimate author of His Word.

That is what makes the Bible authoritative for our lives. Any addition or deletion is out of the question. John 10:35 tells us that Jesus says, “Scripture cannot be set aside.”

The Bible is our infallible guide for life and faith.

Father God, we pray in the name of Jesus, and ask that the Holy Spirit guide and direct our lives during the coming week. Let us honor You as we daily live out our Christianity. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

The Best Christmas Gift 

by Evelyn Wells

She greeted us at her back door with hugs and warm words of welcome. I felt as if I had come home. Her ceiling-high Christmas tree blinked a welcome, with its multi-colored lights and beautiful ornaments.

Our small mission team had arrived in eastern Kentucky after dark, weary from more than six hours on the road. Miss Dora Ross is a committed Christian lady who, after her mother’s death, began opening her home to mission teams who came to preach, hold Vacation Bible School, repair houses, take food to shut-ins, and provide help in any way they could to the people who lived in Miss Dora’s community and even beyond there. She never turns anyone away who comes to her for any need. She provides food, clothing, and other needed items ranging from blankets to heaters.

As we sat down to a late supper of sandwiches, chips, and iced tea, we began planning for the next day, where we were to greet around 300 children and their parents. Gifts would be provided for every child – toys and clothing and hygiene items. Fruit baskets had been prepared for each family. Under the tree were the gifts, which had been colorfully wrapped. We had brought additional gifts. And those we brought needed wrapping.

Midnight was approaching, as we finished wrapping the gifts. Miss Dora asked about the Santa Claus suit she thought we were bringing. I’m not sure we knew about that, so we showed up empty-handed in that category. We decided to make do with what we could come up with. Miss Dora found a Santa hat; we crafted a beard and mustache by cutting out some white cardstock and gluing cotton balls to it. I happened to have brought a red jacket, which had a fluffy white border around the bottom of the sleeves, down the front, and around the bottom hem. It also was stretchy, and a pillow was found that would fit under the jacket.

The next morning after an early breakfast, we prepared to greet our guests. Mike was designated to be Santa and donned the red hat, cardboard/cotton ball facial hair, and the red coat over the pillow. The rest of his attire was blue jeans and tennis shoes.

Before we knew it, kids of all ages began to arrive, their parents in tow. I’ve never seen such excitement as we saw on those beautiful faces that morning. It was the Saturday before Christmas, and Santa Claus was there! Do you think they noticed or cared that Santa was wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes? They didn’t care. As far as they were concerned, Santa could wear whatever he wanted.

As Santa gave each child their presents, he said to them, “Getting presents is fun, and we all love this part of Christmas, but the real reason we celebrate is because it’s Jesus’ birthday.” Along with a fruit basket, every adult was given a bookmark.  “This is for you to use in your Bible,” Santa told them. More than a few replied that they didn’t own a Bible. Santa then picked up a new Bible from the stack on the table beside him. “You have one now,” he said as he gave it to them. “I encourage you to read it every day.”

For several years after that, Christmas wasn’t complete unless I served on a mission team to Kentucky. How blessed we all were to have had the privilege to minister to those who lived in Miss Dora’s community. We had opportunities to talk with those who brought their children to see Santa Claus, and the word of our testimony was heard by many of them.

 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony. (Revelation 12:11a, NASB)

All those years of spending part of my Christmas in the backwoods of Kentucky was life-changing to me. It was a blessing to minister to them, and to witness some of them make the life-changing decision to accept the free gift of salvation that Jesus so willingly offers.

Born a baby in Bethlehem, Jesus came to live among us and to become one of us. He was born to die, so that we may live. His death on the cross paid for our sins; it is up to us whether we receive His precious gift or not. The amazing grace of Jesus is ours for the taking, this gift of eternal life with Him.

The first Christmas my husband and I were married, we bought his grandmother a beautiful bathrobe. She opened the package and exclaimed how pretty it was and told us, “It’s too beautiful to wear every day. I’m going to put it in my chest to save for whenever I have to go into the hospital.” As far as I know, she never wore the robe. Probably by the time she became a patient in the hospital, it was out of style. Or, she had forgotten all about it by that time. Grandma had opened the gift from us, however it was never really hers, because she had put it aside.

Jesus didn’t give us the gift of salvation for us to cast aside. He loves us so much and wants a relationship with us, one where He daily speaks to us and spends time with us. He loves us with an everlasting love.

Christmas is a perfect time to accept the perfect gift from a perfect Savior.

Our God-Given Privilege of Prayer  by Evelyn Wells

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

According to the Apostle Paul we are to pray and ask, with thanksgiving, for what we want God to do in our lives.

When we accept the sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross, and make Him our Savior and Lord, we become joint heirs with Him. And because we are part of the family of God, we have the privilege to communicate with Him through prayer. He has called each one of us to pray – deliberately, specifically, proactively, and passionately.

During prayer we can receive a peace we can’t comprehend, and that peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. We can rest assured that no matter what happens in our lives, God is with us and will never leave us or forsake us.

Peter and the other disciples were gathered in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost. They were all praying together and were united in a common purpose. Look what happened as a result of that day: The world was turned upside down. Or, should I say, right side up?

Several years ago, I served on a Lay Witness Mission at a church in Macon, Georgia, and was housed for the weekend with Dee, who was a member of the church where the mission was held.

The most important thing a church can do when planning a Lay Witness Mission is to pray. Months before the Lay Witness weekend is scheduled, the church begins to pray for each person who is to be a part of the visiting team. They also pray for their church and its members.

Dee said she immediately started praying for me. She wrote my name on sticky notes and placed them all over her house and car. She prayed for me by name every time she saw a sticky note. She kept calling my name in prayer. Morning, noon, and night!

I was humbled and awed by such an outpouring of love by someone I had never met and did not even know existed until about a week before the Mission. All she knew about me was my name and mailing address. But she didn’t have to know anything about me – God knows everything about me! Her part was to pray for me.

What would happen in our churches and communities if we prayed like that? What if we pick one person a week, or a month, or a year and determine to pray for them morning, noon, and night? What if just five people in every church did this? Might our churches begin to be full, our ministries become more effective?

All the church programs, visitation teams, membership drives, and all the other things we try are not worth a drop in the bucket if we don’t cover those activities in specific, serious, proactive, and passionate prayer. If we want to be effective in winning others to Christ, we can come together with other believers and pray passionate and proactive prayers – desperate prayers – focusing on reaching the lost for Jesus Christ.

I challenge you to join with me to make prayer the #1 priority in your life. Let’s determine to turn our communities right-side up for Jesus Christ.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

 God was faithful to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt, where they had been enslaved for 400 years by the Egyptians. We all, at one time or another, are enslaved in our own Egypt. Our Egypt may be an addiction or a habit. It could even be bitterness or envy or any number of things. Regardless of what it is, at some time or another, we are enslaved by something.

Before I accepted God’s wonderful gift of grace and forgiveness, I was enslaved by my sins. Jesus went to the cross and died for you and for me so as to give us eternal life with Him – a life that begins as soon as we accept His forgiveness. That forgiveness was mine for the asking, but I had to sincerely repent of the sins which enslaved me. I had to ask Jesus for His forgiveness and to accept His gift of new life in Him.

When we ask Jesus into our lives, God changes our hearts and brings us out of our Egypt. When we are saved by His grace, we become His. Exodus 20:2 tells us He is our God. And if He is our God, then we are His – forever and eternally.

Think of your personal Egypt. Have you asked Jesus to forgive you?

 Father God, You are faithful. Thank You for your wonderful gift of forgiveness and salvation. And thank you for rescuing me out of my personal Egypt. In the holy name of Jesus, Amen.

Building Character In Children

 

What a character!

When we hear those words, we are pretty sure they are not quite meant as a compliment.

Weird? Eccentric? Funny? Outside the box? Probably.

When we refer to someone as a character, we usually don’t mean the person possesses good character in the classic way we define character.

So, what does good character look like? Is it something we’re born with?

No, we are not born with good character. The Bible makes it clear that we learn character by seeing it modeled by good parents, teachers, and pastors, to name a few. When we are children, we likely see this behavior exhibited by Sunday school teachers.

I remember reading a story some years ago about an outgoing young woman who fell in love with a stoic young man. He was unlike anyone she had ever known. Someone asked her, after they had been married for a number of years, why she had married someone so different from herself. She answered, “Because he uses his turn signal on dirt roads, where there is no traffic anywhere in sight. I figured if he was faithful to do the right thing in a traffic situation where no one saw it, he would be a faithful husband and father. I fell in love with his character first. It was easy to love a man like that.”

My parents conducted themselves with truth, integrity, and love for others. Not just in public, but in our home as well, I could trust them in every situation. Our parents loved us unconditionally and were always truthful with us. We were secure in that knowledge, and we grew up knowing the proper way to treat people, because we saw them treat others with integrity and kindness.  

Children have a front row seat in their family theatre. They watch us live out truth, integrity, and love. Or, they watch our lack of those qualities. They watch as we play out the scenes of our life. They watch our behavior at home, and they watch our behavior in public. Are these two scenes consistent with each other? Do we live a different life away from home?

In order to build character in our children we need to intentionally live out godly attributes not only in front of our children, but to be faithful to live them out in every aspect of our lives. We have a great responsibility to pattern good habits and truth, so children will copy those as they grow into adulthood. 

Does our speech send negative messages? Or are we in the habit of being positive? Do we build others up, or do we bring them down with the words we speak? Proverbs 18:21 tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. A parent or other adult in authority, with just the wrong word, can destroy the spirit of a child. On the other hand, the right word has the power to place hope and encouragement in the heart of that child. 

The most important lesson we can teach our children is how to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ, the one Who has the greatest character of anyone who ever walked the earth. Jesus possesses integrity. His word is truth, and He is kind. He exhibits love and mercy to all. The greatest example of Jesus’s love and mercy was His sacrifice on the cross.

One way to introduce Jesus is by singing songs about Him to babies. I learned that if I sang Jesus Loves Me to my children when they cried, they calmed down. In this way, the name of Jesus was introduced to them. As they grew to be toddlers, I read Bible stories to them. They especially enjoyed the ones about Jesus. By the time they attended Sunday school and Bible school, they knew a lot about Jesus. So, when they were older and got to know Him better, they welcomed the chance to ask Him into their hearts.

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Titus 2:7-8 ESV

 

Mountaintop and Valley Living

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV)

The top of the mountain is where we all want to live. Not some kind of “pie-in-the-sky, by-and-by” existence, but a life lived on the mountaintop of God’s leading, a place where we know we’re living in God’s will and are following His direction for our lives. This is a place where we can trust Him. We love living there.

Why can’t we permanently dwell on the mountaintop?

Because God won’t let us do that, since we need the valleys. Valleys are where we learn to depend on God. Our valleys teach us things we need to learn. Through our battles, large and small, we learn to stand strong. We learn to lean on God and not give up when we’re diagnosed with a serious illness or disease, when we lose a loved one, or when our world turns upside down. We also learn to trust Him when life gets too stressful, too busy, or too out of control. The valley is where we live the majority of our lives. We don’t want to be there, but that’s where He has us live, as we learn to depend on Him. He wants us to learn to trust Him.

However, there are also lessons to be learned on the mountaintop. It is there where we begin to discern the direction in which God wants to lead us. It is there we begin to enjoy Jesus and to build our relationship with Him. Studying His word and taking time to pray no longer seem to be things we just try to get through. Our Bible study and prayer life become joyful, as we learn to communicate with God out of thanksgiving and praise. As we learn the direction in which He wants to take us, we begin to see the possibilities He has in store for us.

On the mountaintop we learn to be ourselves; we no longer need to pretend. We don’t have to hide behind a facade anymore, and we’re no longer insecure in our testimony. We learn that no one can define who we are in Christ Jesus. Only God can do that. He allows us the freedom to become the people He created us to be before the foundation of the world.

On the mountaintop we learn to love. When we finally realize just how much God loves us, we can reach out to others in love and service. We are His hands and His feet here on earth. God has placed us here to be His ambassadors, so we can draw others to Him through the love we show them. On the mountaintop we learn that no matter what lies ahead, we are safe in Him. We can trust in Jesus alone. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” God is faithful, and He is good.

On the mountaintop we learn that God will show us how to live in the valley. He teaches us that we can’t always live on the mountaintop, because we learn the hard things in the valleys of our lives. Best of all, on the mountaintop we learn the lessons which bring joy in our journey.

Gracious God, our Rock and our Salvation, we are grateful that You love us enough to teach us Your lessons through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Continue to teach us while we are in the valleys of our life, and let us find joy on the mountaintop. In the Sweet Name of Jesus, Amen.

Jesus, Our High Priest

 

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. (Hebrews 4:14 NIV)        

Several years ago, I had an unexpected and welcome opportunity to visit Israel. Since that visit, the Bible has come alive for me. My fellow travelers and I saw and experienced amazing things. Each stop seemed better than the last, and trying to take in everything was overwhelming. However, we had a great guide who answered all our questions and read Scripture to us regarding events which had taken place at each site we visited. It was glorious being there and actually seeing and touching the places our Lord had been.

As wonderful as the sightseeing was, my experience of heart seeing was even better. I could feel the very presence of God, as I saw and experienced this Spiritual homeland of mine. Indeed, Israel did feel like home to me, and a part of me never wanted to leave. At every stop I could envision Jesus taking time to minister to all who came to Him no matter whether they needed healing, restoration, or forgiveness. After all, He had given up His heavenly residence to take on the mantle of humanity with all of its temptations and trials.

Although Jesus never sinned, He understands our weakness and temptations. He took all of our sins on Himself and willingly died on a cruel cross, shedding His blood to atone for our sins, thereby becoming our High Priest.

Jesus did not glorify Himself to become a High Priest. God made Him to become our High Priest, and He will forever be so. We can approach His throne of grace boldly and with confidence, knowing we will receive mercy. It is wonderful to know that no matter what we have done and how we have disobeyed, there is forgiveness and restoration for us, because Jesus Christ is our High Priest.

That visit to Israel caused me to see and feel Jesus in my heart, but, one day I will see Him face to face.

Can you think of a time when you felt Jesus especially close to your heart?

 Father, I am grateful for Jesus Christ going to the cross to willingly give His life for my sins. I also thank You for loving me so much that you made provision for me to live forever with You in glory. You are faithful and true, and I give You praise. Fill me with enthusiasm and eagerness so that I may serve you more fully, with an urgency to carry out Your mission wherever I find myself. Let me show Your love, mercy and grace to everyone I meet, and when others look at me, let them see Jesus instead, so they will be drawn to Your free gift of salvation.

 In the Holy and Precious Name of Jesus. Amen

 

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy.

(Psalm 47:1 ESV)

“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy,

Down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.”

 We were singing loudly, the evidence of joy shining on our faces. It was the first day of VBS on a hot summer morning in Georgia. As we sang, we clapped, shouted, and jumped in time to the lively music flowing from the piano in our little Methodist church.

Joy experienced by children is uninhibited and spontaneous. It is seen in their eyes and in their smile. They readily embrace laughter. Their pure joy is just as evident as that of a puppy who, in wagging its tail, cannot help but wag its whole body. Oh, to recapture the joy of our childhood, the unguarded exhibition of who we are and the confidence which goes along with it!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control … (Galatians 5:22-23a ESV)

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which the Lord readily gives to believers, the same as He readily gives the other fruits to us. He gives us joy, so we can encourage and bless others. When we allow joy to truly dwell in us, it overflows and spills into the lives of others. There are several ways we can share our joy with others. I have listed several ways below:

• Being friendly goes a long way toward planting joy into another’s day. We never know how much a kind word or a smile is needed by a stranger in a checkout line at the grocery store. I enjoy doing this.
• We can visit a shut-in in our neighborhood, taking them a bouquet, which we have hand-picked from our garden. This act of kindness is a great way to share joy with others.
• A call made to an old friend can bring joy to them, and to you. Recently, I reconnected with a couple I have known for a long time, but I had lost touch with them years ago. It was fun renewing our friendship, and the three of us went home with joyful hearts.

Have you ever thought about reading everything the Bible has to say about joy? There is so much written on this particular Fruit of the Spirit. If we took this subject and studied it during our devotional time for a month or more, we would see that joy not only comes from God, but it is a gift to those of us who belong to Jesus. I have listed some of my favorite “joy” verses below:

• And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:4 ESV)
• Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)
• These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11 ESV)
• Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12 ESV)
• This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 ESV)
• And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (Luke 2:10 ESV)

 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy …. (Psalm 16:11a ESV)

 As we take the path which God has prepared for us, we can discover true joy, not the kind of joy the world offers. The world’s type of joy is temporary, depending on the situation of the moment. The unbeliever’s joy lasts as long as things are going well, but disappears as soon as problems arise.

Believers experience joy in God’s presence, when they worship Him through music, prayer, and studying the Bible. As we fellowship with other believers, we can experience joy. The joy of the Lord is joy only He can give us and, no matter the circumstances, it can never be taken away from us.

Problems arise. Tragedy sometimes happens in our lives. Disappointments abound. Where is our joy then? Maybe it does not look like we experience joy at those times, but at the center of our being which belongs to Christ, God’s joy sustains us. We may not feel joyful, but according to Nehemiah 8:10 ESV, the joy of the Lord is our strength. We can be confident that God’s love and care for us are consistent no matter what we encounter or how weak we feel.

Jesus, our Savior, went to the cross and died a horrible death, so we can be saved and live eternally with Him in the home He has prepared for us. He is the joy-giver. And why would He not be, when He took all of our sins to the cross with Him? Jesus has paid for those sins, so we do not have to pay for them ourselves.

Yes, God is our Joy-Giver. The believer can know joy in its fullest sense by realizing all God is doing in our world and by always remembering that died for us and has plans and a purpose in mind for us. Being joyful in the face of everyday situations is a choice we make. So, let’s choose joy!

Father God, please give us joy in You today, and show us how to share the joy of the Lord with others. In Jesus’ most powerful and loving name, Amen.

 

Who would have ever thought the Messiah we expected for so long, would be for the Gentiles, too? Yet, it is so!

I am an old woman who has seen much. I’ve lived a long life and witnessed many things. Now my time is short, and I want to tell my story while I can.

I saw Peter the Apostle preach on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down. Thousands of people responded by giving their hearts to Jesus. I was one of those and my husband, also. The power of God was manifested in such a way that foreigners who spoke in different languages were understood and were able to converse with those of us who were locally situated.

I also have heard the Apostle Paul spread God’s word to everyone who would listen. Paul, as well as Peter and many other fine leaders of the Church, continued to preach Christ and Him crucified, even among persecution.

Now both of them are gone; they lost their lives because of their steadfast love for God and His Son, Jesus. Why, it is even said that Peter was upside down on the cross when he was put to death.

Enough of that! This old lady is putting the proverbial cart before the donkey.

I grew up in the town of Bethlehem, the daughter of a shepherd. My father was one of those who guarded the sheep reserved for temple sacrifice. These sheep were kept in the fields surrounding Bethlehem all during the year, even the winter months.

I carried meals or refreshments to Father from time to time while he was watching the sheep, and he usually let me stay for a while to play with the lambs. My dream was for my parents to let me stay overnight with Father just one time in the shepherds’ fields. Mother said I was too young, and besides I might get in the way.

I was about nine years old when they finally consented for me to stay overnight. “After all,” Father pointed out, “our house can be seen from the hillside.”

“This one time,” she said, “and then she will need to learn how to be a young lady and to quit romping on the hillsides like the boys do.”

The long-anticipated night finally arrived, and I had settled down near the campfire. Too excited to sleep, I snuggled beneath my warm blanket, my favorite lamb nestled at my feet. Lying on my back I gazed at the heavens and wondered about the great God who lives there. “Does He really know me like Mother says?” I wondered aloud.

As I gazed at the stars, I noticed one which seemed brighter than the others. I looked away and back again, but it still looked brighter. I pointed it out to Father, and right in front of our eyes, it seemed to grow even brighter. It actually seemed to have dropped lower and looked to be shining over Bethlehem. It wasn’t long before it caught the attention of all the shepherds.

Suddenly an angel approached our campfire. Yes – an angel! We were terrified, and several shepherds sank to the ground and covered their heads. I tried to hide behind Father and leaned around him, peering through my fingers. “Fear not,” the angel said; suddenly we weren’t afraid anymore, and a great peace fell on us. I kept rubbing my eyes, but this was no dream. The angel told us they were bringing us good news of great joy for all people.

The angel was telling my father and the other shepherds the good news of the Messiah being born on this day in our town. I was amazed and astonished; could this be the Messiah our people had been waiting for? But why in a stable and, of all places, in a feeding trough?

Suddenly a lot of angels appeared, and they were praising God and singing. Father and the other shepherds joined in the worship. One of the angels knelt beside me and asked why I was so quiet in the middle of the joyful celebration. I replied, “Is the Messiah really for all people like you say, even the Gentiles?”

“Yes, child,” the angel replied, “for everyone who will believe in Him and become His, the Lord will make clean and forgive them their sins and provide a safe place for them, even throughout eternity.” The angels left as suddenly as they had arrived, and all the shepherds spoke in loud voices about the wondrous things we had seen and heard. “Let us go into town and see this thing that has come to pass,” they said.

The shepherds agreed for half of them to go right then, and the others would go later to see the baby. Father was one of the first ones to go, and he carried me on his shoulders so I wouldn’t get trampled in the rush to get there.

How can I describe what I felt when I saw that tiny baby? Instinctively, I knew I was looking at the Son of the Most High God, because I could see there was something very, very special about Him.

As I was saying, I have lived a long time and seen much. Jews and Gentiles, alike, are responding to the good news and becoming followers of that same Jesus I saw in the Bethlehem stable so many years ago. And it is true! What the angel told me is true! God did become human to draw ALL people to himself, not just one or two select groups or races but all who will accept him. All who accept and serve Jesus will live forever with him throughout eternity.

Those same baby hands which were so sweetly dimpled on the night of His birth were the same hands which were nailed to the cross on the hill of Golgotha. Yes, I was there. I saw Him die on that cross for my sins and for yours, but He didn’t stay dead. He is alive. Alive! And because Jesus is alive we, too, can live.

 

 

Sometimes God uses our time in prayer to change something about us—our desires, our perspective, our plans, our attitudes, our commitment level, and so forth. When we use Scripture as the basis of our prayer, we tap into God’s wisdom, we ask for His will to be done in our lives, and we cooperate with the Spirit’s cultivating work in our hearts and character. Prayer cooperates with the process of being conformed to the glorious likeness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The fruit or effects of the Holy Spirit’s work, which are listed in the verses below, are followed by a prayer that may prove very fruitful.

 

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23a NASB

 

Love – Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, show me how to live so Your love shines through me. Help me to see others as You see them. Let me always put others first and love them as You love me.

Joy – Help me to live my life joyfully, so others will be drawn to You and will desire the joy only You can give. Let my joy in You increase day by day, and I give thanks for Your creation which brings us so much joy.

Peace – Thank You for the peace and comfort that the Holy Spirit brings when I am unsettled and upset. I welcome You into every area of my life. Help me to be a peacemaker, and help me to overcome fear with peace.

Patience – Cause me to show patience to others, as Christ shows patience to me. When I am misunderstood because of my faith in You, let me stand firm and finish well.

Kindness – Help me be kind to everyone in every situation and place that I find myself. Let me be ready to forgive others, just as You have forgiven me. Release me from hurt feelings, offense, and pride. Give me opportunities to serve You by serving others.

Goodness – Lord, I am grateful You have created me to walk in goodness. Help me always to do the right thing and show others Your goodness. Help me increase in the desire to please You in all I do and say.

Faithfulness – Help my faith to grow day by day. Teach me how to be an overcomer and to be faithful to You in all I do and say. Let me remember Your faithfulness never fails. Thank You for being a faithful and true God.

Gentleness – Help me be gentle with those You have given me. Let the gentleness I show others reflect Your gentleness, so they will be drawn to You and want the salvation You want to provide for them.

Self-Control – Lord, help me to exercise self-control in all areas of my life. Guide me in my finances, my social life, and my walk with You. When I use self-control, I show obedience to You.